Hide and Seek
by iamvamp
Summary: Emmett is a warrior with a head strong wife and a troublesome child at home. A glimpse of his arrival home after a long ride from a triumphant battle.


**A.N: I had this idea pop into my head and I had to run with it!! I'm still working on my angel story, don't worry about that. I just needed this one out of my system. Hope you like it!! **

**Hide and Seek. **

I walked up to the castle's door, the snow crunching beneath my feet. I was grateful to be home after the long ride and hard battle we'd endured for the last couple of weeks. The harsh weather hadn't helped, the below freezing temperatures mocking us, but not winning against us. We'd won the battle of course, but a few of my men had been injured and needed to be tended to. I knew Isabella would take good care of them along with Alice's helping hand. Her and her magic potions would sort my men out.

A noise from inside my castle made me stop short from pulling open the large weathered door and I listened carefully, trying to determine what was going on inside. A few female shrieks could be heard as well as footsteps running along the stone floor.

Sighing heavily and readying myself for a tale of some new way my wife had disrupted my household; I stepped forward and hauled the door open.

One glimpse at the commotion inside and I wished I'd have stayed outside in the snow.

Tables were over turned, chairs scattered across the floor and tapestries leant against walls any which way. I closed my eyes and ran my hands over my face to try and calm myself.

Lilly was playing hide and seek again.

"Emmett!" My wife's voice called from the dining hall. I reluctantly opened my eyes, tearing my imagination away from the image I conjured up of myself on my faithful steed, galloping away into the forest for some peace and quiet.

I stepped inside and pulled the door closed behind me with a clattering bang and stepped further inside, my eyes glancing around, trying to find any hint of movement from my daughter.

"She's hiding again Emmett! We've been looking since mid-day! She had her lunch and then vanished!" Rose's voice was steadily becoming hysterical and I knew I needed to find my little bundle of trouble before Rose turned angry.

Even I was afraid of my wife when she was angry.

I opened my arms and closed them around my wife, holding her close while I rested my head on hers, waiting for her to calm down before I spoke. I hadn't seen her in weeks and now at long last I had her in my arms. I couldn't wait to carry her off to our bed chamber, but I knew I'd have to find our troublesome daughter first.

"Go keep the bed warm," I whispered into her ear before pressing a kiss to the top of her head, "This won't take long." I stated, giving her a squeeze and letting her go.

With her cheeks holding a slight hint of a blush I watched as my wife turned and made her way toward the stairs which led to the upper level of the castle. She looked a little shaky as she made her way, but I knew that she'd soon compose herself.

She was my wife. She was strong.

I turned and glanced at my staff who were all standing uncertainly in the dining hall, unsure of how to proceed now that I, their master had once again returned. They must have had a few strict instructions shouted at them from my wife as well as a few threats about my ringing their necks if they didn't follow her strict instructions. But now I was back, and I had a fairly good idea where my little Lilly was hiding.

"Clear this." I called, indicating to the dining room before I turned on my heel and made my way back out into the snow, hearing them all jumping into action before I'd finished my order to them.

Pulling the door behind me I looked over toward the line of cottages ahead that were situated within my walls. Those who lived there included the blacksmith, stable master, the man who made our weapons, the woman who had a talent of making warm clothes for my warriors and the old man who kept account of my lodger's payments. I glanced at the cottage closest to me, the carpenter's cottage. From the smoke rising from the chimney and the light I could see glowing through the window, I knew someone was in there.

I looked down at the snow at my feet, acknowledging one good thing about it.

Footprints.

I rolled my eyes as I neared the cottage. In the snow I could see a set of tiny footsteps heading directly toward the carpenter's cottage. My daughter always liked to hide away in there when she was bored or when Rose had scolded her for having caused some trouble or another. I knew as well as did Lilly that she always had a warm welcome when she visited here. Or when she decided to hide out here.

I held in a laugh as I noticed that my cunning little daughter must have tried to cover her tracks. She'd probably found a stick nearby and had tried to hide her footprints with the stick like I had taught he the last time the now had fallen. I supposed she needed another couple of lessons to master the trick because her effort had only caused to draw more attention to the tracks.

I knocked on the carpenter's door. He was a good man, quiet, hard working and gifted with his hands and tools when it came to working with wood. He'd had the honour of building most of the furniture in the castle, as well as the crib Lilly had slept in when she was a baby. Her crib had been a work of true art and I'd be damned if it wouldn't be holding another sleeping babe as soon as I and my wife could manage it.

Jacob Black answered the door, his skin bronzed from the many hours a day he worked outside during the summer. He worked as long as he could during the summer months, always declaring that his work was better when he worked in the sunlight rather than the glow from the fire or from burning candles. He had an easy smile on his face, undaunted by the presence of his master at his cottage door. He must have been waiting for my arrival.

"My Lord." Jacob greeted me, his hand outstretched in greeting. I shook his hand and stepped in, my eyes darting all over the small room and finally locking on a pair of feet which were peeking out beneath a pair of long curtains.

Jacob merely chuckled silently as he glanced from my daughter's feet to me and back. He must have witnessed this scenario so many times that he knew exactly what would be happening next. I would ask about the whereabouts of my daughter, Jacob would deny any knowledge of her whereabouts and she would finally giggle or peek out behind the curtains. She'd been playing this game for as long as she could walk away from Rose. She only did it when she knew I was around because I was the only one, as well as Jacob, who knew where my little Lilly ran off to when she wanted to play hide and seek with her daddy. She must have overheard one of my men informing Rose that I'd be home by nightfall at some after lunch and had run away to prepare.

Jacob was already seated and was busy carving away at a piece of wood which was beginning to look remarkably like a wolf. Deciding to confuse my little girl I made my way over to Jacob and sat on the stool opposite him, looking over the mess that cluttered the table. There were shavings from the wood which Jacob was busy carving away at and also another block on the table. But this block was of clay. A wooden instrument was lying next to it, obviously meant to be a replica of the carving tool that Jacob was using, except without the sharp blade.

My daughter must have demanded to do some carving as Jacob was busy doing. I smiled at his improvisation. Clay and a wooden stick. He was a clever man. I could envision my daughter sat at the table, feeling like a grown woman as she did a man's job.

Lilly was shuffling her feet from behind the curtains, obviously confused at mine and Jacob's silence. I should have been peeking around the room at this point or she would have already jumped out to surprise me. But not this time.

Leaning back in the chair, I stretched my legs out before me and crossed my ankles. I'd wait for her to break. She was nearing her third summer yet I felt she was nearing her thirteenth the way she had me running around after her. I dreaded the thought of her being so old, she'd be able to run faster.

I closed my eyes at the thought and instantly heard an annoyed huff coming from the curtains. I felt my lips twitch with a smile before I controlled myself and looked toward Jacob's transforming piece of wood. It always astounded me how life like he could make his little figurines.

Another little huff came from the hanging curtains and I knew she was almost ready to break. She had almost as little patience as her mother had.

I pretended to yawn, wondering how many seconds longer Lilly would be able to keep quiet before storming out from behind her 'hiding place'.

My daughter waited seven seconds before she tore back the curtains and stomped her way out into the open, her arms crossed and her cheeks flushed with anger. She reminded me so much of Rose as she stomped around the room with her murderous eyes and tight fisted little hands. Rose had done exactly the same when I had told her she'd be marrying me. She had thought it were a question before I explained to her that it was an order. No one ever denies my orders. Or at least they didn't until I was married to Rose and she took over the household.

Lilly huffed once more and finally came to a halt at my side, "Daddy I'm here." She called in a voice which was on the verge of a cry. My heart cracked at the sound of her voice and I braced myself before looking at her face, knowing that I had to be strong or one flash of her watering eyes would have me begging her for mercy. She had me wrapped around her little finger just like her mother.

"So you are." I said as I uncrossed my legs and sat up straighter, glad to see that her eyes didn't look like they'd be pooling with tears anytime soon.

"You were 'uposed to find me!" She whined as she pushed one of her little hands against my knee, managing to move it about quarter of an inch.

I instantly felt guilty for having not made the effort to look for her. She must have been excited all day over the prospect of us playing this silly game and I'd ruined it for my little girl. I growled to myself at my stupidity and promised myself that I'd make a performance the next time we played this game for her, only to see her smile her angelic smile at me, only me.

"I know Lilly, but I was tired." I said, not exactly lying and yet not telling her the truth. "I've been riding all day." I added, hoping she'd find some forgiveness for her father. "All day to see you."

She turned her little back on me and made her way over to Jacob. I watched as she reached her hand up to him, grasped two of his fingers in her little hand and shook it, saying, "Thank you Jake for letting me play. It's been a…pl… a ple…" She paused, unable to pronounce the word the was thinking of, "It's been a joy." She substituted instead.

Jacob barked a laugh as he shook her hand and thanked her in turn for her company before handing her the now finished carving of the wolf he'd been working on.

"Fank you Jake!" My little girl thanked before she shot a dagger filled glare at me and made her way to the door.

The little devil was going to dismiss me and walk away! She'd been watching her mother too closely I decided as I stood and followed her to the door where she was busy trying to hold on to her wooden wolf carving with one hand and trying to pull open the heavy wooden door with the other.

Enough was enough. I turned quickly back to Jacob and shook his hand once more in thanks for having had watched after my little girl once again. I turned back to Lilly and stepped up behind her and swooped my arm down, picking her up easily with one hand and settled her over my shoulder.

She squealed with delight, she loved to be thrown around and to be carried in my arms, she claimed she could she all of her land from just sitting on my shoulders. _'Her_ _land_' I would laugh at her declaration each time and beg her to let me guard her land for her. She'd always agree with a regal nod of the head, making me laugh a little and shake her a little off balance on my shoulders, gaining a round of giggles from her.

"Put me down!!!" She called, from behind me as I waved a goodbye to a chuckling Jacob and opened the door that my daughter had been struggling with and pulled it closed behind the both of us as I stepped out in to the snow once more.

I began my way toward the castle and felt Lilly shaking with the cold in my arms and adjusted her, pulling her down to my chest and tucking her head under my chin. I pulled my fur lined coat around her and felt her hot little breath sigh against my throat as I pulled her closer still.

"I missed you." I whispered to my daughter as I reached the castle's doors. I looked down at Lilly, expecting her to either answer me back or if she was still angry with me to huff at me once more. What I found was one of my favourite sights, my little girl sound asleep in my arms.

I placed a soft kiss on her head with a smile on my face. She was finally quiet and there was no hint of mischief on her face and no sign of trouble in those blue twinkling eyes of hers now that they were closed at last.

Opening the castle door and closing it silently was a task in itself but I did the best I could, my little girl staying fast asleep during it. I couldn't wait to drop her off in her bed and go in search of my wife. No doubt she'd be hiding under the covers of our bed, waiting for me to seek her out.

**A.N: Maybe not the best I'****ve ever done but like I said, I needed it out of my system and it only took an hour or two to write. **

**Let me know what you think!??!! **


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